Changing the landscape of South Los Angeles: Benefits of collaboration between community residents and decision makers

The environment in which children and families live can play a critical role in their choices to walk to school, eat healthy or be physically active. This is certainly the case in communities such as South L.A. where there is a dearth of fresh, affordable foods and where some neighborhoods are run down and unsafe in which to be outdoors. This presentation will provide examples of cross sectoral collaboration between HEAC and representatives from school, public health and the community to address the built environment to create walkable, friendly communities. We will cover the results of a pedestrian audit and demonstrate the importance of community involvement when working with local officials who have an influence in the decisions being made concerning neighborhoods. We will show how to successfully bridge the gap between the needs of community residents and key decision makers, and discuss each step from organizing the pedestrian audit, to conducting it, to meeting with city planners to ensure community input in city plan revisions. While much work is still needed to advance policies that will change the landscape of South L.A. neighborhoods, we have begun to reap the benefits of true cross collaboration between HEAC partners.